EXCERPT: ‘Victoria says you find missing people.’ Beside me, Twanow nods. She has a legal pad out and looks like she is taking notes. Keahi continues, ‘People no one else is looking for.’ ‘I specialise in working missing persons cold cases.’ ‘But you’re not a private investigator?’ ‘No.’ ‘Are you a computer hacker, someone who can discover a speck of sand in the desert just by following its purchase patterns on the internet?’ ‘Don’t even own a smart phone.’ Keahi frowns. ‘Then what are you?’ ‘A person with a really obsessive hobby.’ Her frown deepens. ‘Victoria says you’ve found everyone you’ve ever searched for. How?’ ‘I ask questions. Lots of questions. Sometimes it’s as simple as people being willing to talk so many years later, sometimes it’s that I’m not the police, making neighbors in certain communities more willing to disclose the truth.’ I shrug. ‘Once someone starts to talk, I make sure I listen. Not enough people do that any more.’ ‘How many cases have you solved?’ ‘Nearly twenty.’ ‘You brought people home to their families?’ ‘I brought closure to their families.’ Keahi’s lips quirk. She isn’t fooled by my answer. Neither am I.
ABOUT ‘STILL SEE YOU EVERYWHERE’: Frankie Elkin is an expert at finding the missing persons that the rest of the world has forgotten, but even she couldnât have anticipated this latest requestâto locate the long-lost sister of a female serial killer facing execution in three weeksâ time.
She has called herself “death,” but people called her the devil.
The case was sensational. Kaylee Pierson had confessed from the very beginning, waived all appeals. Despite the mediaâs chronicling of her tragic circumstancesâthe childhood spent with a violent fatherâno one could find sympathy for âthe Beautiful Butcherâ who had led eighteen men home from bars before viciously slitting their throats. Now, with only twenty-one days left to live, Pierson has finally received a lead on the whereabouts of the sister who was kidnapped over a decade ago, and she needs Frankieâs help to find her. The Beautiful Butcherâs offer:
When was the last time your search ended with finding the living?
Unable to resist the chance for a rescue, Frankie takes on Piersonâs request. Twelve years ago, five-year-old Leilani went missing in Hawaii. The main suspect? Piersonâs tech mogul ex-boyfriend, Sanders MacManus. Now, on a remote island in the middle of the Pacificâthe site of MacManusâs latest vanity projectâfresh evidence has appeared. In order to learn the truth and possibly save a young womanâs life, Frankie must go undercover at the isolated base camp. Her challenge: A dozen strangers. Countless dangerous secrets. Zero means of calling for help. And then the storm rolls inâŚ
MY THOUGHTS: I think I may have gone off isolated tropical island resorts!
Although the action takes some time to get started in this, the third installment of the Frankie Elkin series, when it does kick off, it is relentless! Until then enjoy the various types of crab that abound, including the giant blue coconut crab, the holes in the sand that can easily snap an ankle, the spiders, the mosquitos, constant humidity, tropical downpours, and various other flora and fauna that are described so beautifully. There’s no sunbathing on the beach or swimming in the lovely blue lagoons.
It’s all work and no play that just might see Frankie Elkin live another day . . .
There are some wonderful characters – Anne and Trudy the cooks; Charlie, the Australian engineer; and Vaughn the head honcho are only a few of them.
I admit to having had to suspend belief in places, but Lisa Gardner writes with such fervor that I could see everything playing out in front of me as I read. There are a few gory scenes – but what else would you expect with an escaped serial killer called the Beautiful Butcher on the island?
If you are looking for an escapist, action packed read – pick this one up. You won’t be disappointed.
Although this is the third book in a series, it is easily read alone as the author has provided enough backstory to make this feasible.
ââââ.3
#StillSeeYouEverywhere #NetGalley
THE AUTHOR: Lisa Gardner began her career in food service, but after catching her hair on fire numerous times, she took the hint and focused on writing instead. A self-described research junkie, she has transformed her interest in police procedure and criminal minds into a streak of internationally acclaimed novels.
For a bit of fun, Lisa invites her readers to enter the annual âKill a Friend, Maim a Buddyâ Sweepstakes at LisaGardner.com. Every year, one Lucky Stiff is selected to meet a grand end in Lisaâs latest novel. Past winners have nominated spouses, best friends and even themselves.
Lisa lives in New Hampshire where she spends her time with an assortment of canine companions. When not writing, she loves to hike, garden, snowshoe and play cribbage.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Random House UK, Cornerstone via NetGalley for providing a digital ARC of Still See You Everywhere by Lisa Gardner for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
EXCERPT: . . . his voice faded before he inhaled sharply, choking on his own spit. ‘Is that a body?’ I nodded, curt. ‘I saw it when I was rowing. It was just . . . there. Floating.’ He looked from me to the lake and back to me again. ‘Are you okay? That must have been terrifying, especially after everything you’ve been through these last few months.’ I swallowed the last part of that sentence, burying it with all the other trauma, and focused on what was at stake now, in the moment. Suddenly, I whipped back to the lake. ‘Ralph, if there’s a body in our lake, then that means someone put it there.’ Though it wasn’t a question, he nodded, seeming to make an instantaneous judgement. ‘Maybe, but we have to figure out the facts first.’ This couldn’t have been an accidental drowning. Not when the body was wrapped up like that. I thought of Cottage Grove’s obsession with true crime. There were thriller book clubs and ‘whodunnit’ crime nights, where we ‘solved’ cold murder cases in under three hours. We called ourselves the Murderlings. At first, I’d been hesitant to join, but once I solved my first case, I was hooked. Now with a murder in our own backyard, they were going to have a field day with this.
ABOUT ‘DON’T FORGET ME’: When a body is presumed to be her missing husbandâs, a woman must unravel the secrets of her own past to clear her name, find the truth, and put her conscience to rest once and for all.
All Ruby wanted was a fresh start. But after an early retirement and a relocation to a tight-knit community with her husband, Tom, and her daughter, Lily, her new beginning takes a turn.
First her troubled daughter and then her husband disappear without a trace. Unsure how to cope, grief-ridden Ruby turns to her neighborhood friends to find a way forward with new hobbies, including a murder club where they try to solve cold cases.
But just as unexpectedly as her family vanished, a body floats to the surface of the nearby lake.
And everyone is sure the body belongs to TomâŚeveryone except Ruby.
Determined to find out what happened to her family once and for all, Ruby digs into her neighborsâ lives, and her own, only to uncover secrets that raise more questions than they answer. And the biggest question of allâwhy doesnât she recognize the body?
MY THOUGHTS: Rea Frey has done it again! This is the second (out of three) five-star book I have read by this author. Taut, twisty and surprising.
Told in alternating timelines of ‘NOW’ and “THEN’ with snippets from a community online chat thread interspersed, Don’t Forget Me is full of secrets slowly being exposed, along with a good helping of domestic abuse, childhood trauma, a murder or three and some missing persons. I recommend you go into this cold, suspend your belief and just enjoy the fast-paced and riveting ride. Oh yes, and trust no one!
Don’t Forget Me has an ending I never saw coming. It is deliciously chilling, but not as chilling as the very last line – which sent a shiver up my spine.
âââââ
#DontForgetMe #NetGalley
THE AUTHOR: I never thought I would become an author. Growing up, I believed the false story that writing was a hobby; it wasnât a job. But Iâve always liked a challenge. Known as The Book Doula, Rea also helps other writers birth their books into the world.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Thomas & Mercer via NetGalley for providing a digital ARC of Don’t Forget Me by Rea Frey for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
It’s been a very autumnal day. It rained last night and all morning and it is a cool 18C. The sky is clearing but we have more rain forecast tomorrow and thunderstorms.
We have had a very lazy day, reading and watching the F1 from Bahrain. No surprises there!
I managed to read all but one of my scheduled books this week. Currently I am reading Don’t Forget Me by Rea Frey. Talk about a surprise on every page! Very twisty. I should finish it later tonight.
When a body is presumed to be her missing husbandâs, a woman must unravel the secrets of her own past to clear her name, find the truth, and put her conscience to rest once and for all.
All Ruby wanted was a fresh start. But after an early retirement and a relocation to a tight-knit community with her husband, Tom, and her daughter, Lily, her new beginning takes a turn.
First her troubled daughter and then her husband disappear without a trace. Unsure how to cope, grief-ridden Ruby turns to her neighborhood friends to find a way forward with new hobbies, including a murder club where they try to solve cold cases.
But just as unexpectedly as her family vanished, a body floats to the surface of the nearby lake.
And everyone is sure the body belongs to TomâŚeveryone except Ruby.
Determined to find out what happened to her family once and for all, Ruby digs into her neighborsâ lives, and her own, only to uncover secrets that raise more questions than they answer. And the biggest question of allâwhy doesnât she recognize the body?
Sisterhood by Cathy Kelly is a family drama featuring two sisters, Lou and Toni, and a shattering secret revealed at Lou’s 50th birthday party, and which takes us from Ireland to Sicily.
As the waves crash on to a wild Atlantic beach, Lou is at a crossroads. For the first time ever, just giving up seems like an option.
In just one night, at her own 50th birthday, her world has imploded. Her mother has kept a secret hidden all her life. And it changes everything. Before Lou can take another step, she needs to get to the bottom of the shocking truth that alters who she really is.
Along with her sister, Toni, who is facing her own crisis, the two women sets out on a life-changing journey â one that will take them through Irelandâs wildest coastline and to Sicilyâs sun-baked rocky shores. It will also take Lou deep into her relationships with her mother, her sister and her daughter to figure out how to stop pleasing everyone else â and carve out who she really wants to be.
I am currently listening to a title from my 2017 NetGalley backlist, The Hidden Hours by Sara Foster, an Australian author I really enjoy. Very suspenseful! This will also be the first title I tick off my list for the Aussie Readers Autumn challenge.
Arabella Lane, senior executive at a childrenâs publisher, is found dead in the Thames on a frosty winterâs morning after the office Christmas party. No one is sure whether she jumped or was pushed. The one person who may know the truth is the newest employee at Parker & Lane â the office temp, Eleanor.
Eleanor has travelled to London to escape the repercussions of her traumatic childhood in outback Australia. To her horror, she has no memory of the crucial hours leading up to Arabellaâs death â memory that will either incriminate or absolve her.
As Eleanor desperately tries to remember the events of that fateful night, her own extended family is dragged further into the dark, terrifying terrain of blame, suspicion and guilt.
Caught in a crossfire of accusations and lies, Eleanor isnât sure she can trust anyone â not even herself. As she races to uncover the truth, she realises that someone is intent on stopping her. Someone who, like Eleanor, knows just how deadly the darkest secrets can be.
Keeping her secret may save her family. But telling it may save her life.
And what do I have on my reading schedule for the coming week? Six titles. đŹAnd family arriving on Wednesday for a week. đ¤ˇââď¸All I can do is my best. My posting might be a bit erratic for a week from Thursday as, no doubt, will be my reading! I also have a pile of library books I need to make a start on.
Never Trust the Husband by Jessica Payne, a new-to-me author.
You look so happy in your wedding photo, gazing at your perfect new husband, glass of champagne held high in a toast. You chose to ignore the warning signs, but he hid more than one secret from you. And now heâs gotten away with your murderâŚ
Every night I watch Benjamin and Gwyn in their gorgeous, glass-fronted Seattle home. Your ex-husband. Your best friend. Newly engaged, theyâre busy dreaming of their future.
The official story is that you disappeared, but I know the truth. They killed you.
I know Benjaminâs new business is in trouble, that he desperately needs your money. I saw the way Gwyn looked at him at your wedding reception, finding any excuse to be close, to laugh too loudly at his jokes. After all, she always wanted your perfect life.
But donât worry, Madeline. I wonât let it end like this. I can see everything from my place in the shadows between the trees. With their house lit up, they are on display. Iâll bide my time and worm my way into their home, their lives. They will never know the truth about who I am.
You didnât get your happily ever after, and neither will theyâŚ
Red Dirt Home by Renae Black, another new-to-me author, Australian outback romance.
To move forward, she’ll have to face the past.
Paige Bennett is fulfilling her childhood dream of working and living on the land as a station hand on Whitetail Ridge. Getting her hands dirty, riding horses, working with cattle and kicking up red dust. Life can’t get much better. Or so she thinks, until a devastating act of violent betrayal leaves her unemployed, homeless and broken.
A fight with his father drove Jackson Brady off Karilga, his family’s cattle station in the Queensland outback. Now he’s made a life for himself away from the land, joining a band and settling into the city. When the girl he’s always had his eye on shows up with news from back home, he’s faced with a difficult choice: go home where he’s needed or stay where he’s wanted.
Winding up on Karilga Station, Paige is a shadow of the person she once was. Desperate to forget what happened to her, she considers leaving her beloved channel country. But things aren’t so easily forgotten in the outback. When fate gives her no option but to trust again, will she find love as well? Or at least a safe place to land?
Jackson knows he’s never been more to Paige than a country larrikin who only takes the beer at the end of the day seriously – a sentiment closely echoed by his father. Can Jackson prove himself to his father and become the man Paige needs him to be? Or will it all crumble in the red dirt of the outback?
The Birthday Weekend by Zoe Miller, yet another new-to-me author. I have to admit it was cover love that first attracted e to this title.
It was a celebration to die for . . .
What happened on holiday was supposed to stay on holiday – but that was before a body was found . . .
Socialite Lucinda Oliver planned a lavish celebration for her fortieth birthday – a weekend escape at an Irish coastal town with her sister Stella and her closest friends. The weekend was to end with a blow-out party and a special announcement, one Lucinda had been dropping hints about for weeks.
But before Lucinda could reveal her secret, she went missing. And now, six months later, her car has been found submerged in the Atlantic Ocean.
Devastated, Stella decides to gather Lucinda’s friends once more, in that same coastal town – the first time they’ve all been together since her disappearance. But soon she starts to suspect that one of the group knows the truth about Lucinda’s accident.
Which one of them is lying? Stella vows to find out, discovering that what happened to her sister links back to another birthday celebration, ten years ago…
The Hunter by Tana French, who is a definite favorite with me.
Itâs a blazing summer when two men arrive in the village. Theyâre coming for gold. What they bring is trouble.
Cal Hooper was a Chicago detective, till he moved to the West of Ireland looking for peace. Heâs found it, more or less â in his relationship with local woman Lena, and the bond heâs formed with half-wild teenager Trey. So when two men turn up with a money-making scheme to find gold in the townland, Cal gets ready to do whatever it takes to protect Trey. Because one of the men is no stranger: heâs Treyâs father.
But Trey doesnât want protecting. What she wants is revenge.
The Dubrovnik Book Club by Eva Glyn, yet another new-to-me author. I am looking forward to spending some time on the sun-drenched shores of Croatia.
In a tiny bookshop in Dubrovnikâs historic Old Town, a book club beginsâŚ
Newly arrived on the sun-drenched shores of Croatia, Claire Thomsonâs life is about to change forever when she starts working at a local bookshop. With her cousin Vedran, employee Luna and Karmela, a professor, they form an unlikely book club.
But when their first book club pick â an engrossing cosy crime â inspires them to embark upon an investigation that is close to the groupâs heart, they quickly learn the value of keeping their new-found friends close as lives and stories begin to entwineâŚ
And, finally, The Unquiet Bones by Loreth Anne White, another author I enjoy. I have read several of her books.
When human bones are found beneath an old chapel in the woods, evidence suggests the remains could be linked to the decades-old case of missing teen Annalise Jansen.
Homicide detective Jane Munroâpregnant and acutely attuned to the preciousness of lifeâhopes the grim discovery will finally bring closure to the girlâs family. But for a group of Annaliseâs old friends, once dubbed the Shoreview Six by the media, it threatens to expose a terrible pledge made on an autumn night forty-seven years ago.
The friends are now highly respected, affluent members of their communities, and none of them ever expected the dark chapter in their past to resurface. But as Jane and forensic anthropologist Dr. Ella Quinn peel back the layers of secrets, the group begins to fracture. Will one cave? Will they turn on each other?
The investigation takes a sharp turn when Jane discovers a second bodyâthat of the boy long blamed for Annaliseâs disappearance. As the bones tell their story, the group learns just how far each will go to guard their own truth.
What are you planning to read over the coming week? Are any of these titles on your reading radar?
Wherever in the world you are, enjoy the rest of your weekend and have a wonderful week to come. Happy reading! đđ
EXCERPT: Even though ‘the girls’ have been home for only a few minutes, Maya has already spread out in the kitchen and is preparing dinner. Herbs weren’t the only things she had picked up at Round Swamp market; I can see that she also got salmon, arugula, parmesan, potatoes and crusty french bread. ‘Is there anything I can help with?’ I ask her pathetically, as if it’s me who is the guest. ‘Nope,’ she says. ‘The least I can do is make some meals, since you’ve so generously agreed to host us. Besides, cooking is like therapy to me.’ I nod at her, feeling gangly and clumsy and in the way. It’s strange to be rendered so pointless in my own kitchen, my own life; she’s made breakfast for my husband and picked up my child, and now she’s cooking dinner in the kitchen she organised. I know I should just enjoy the help that Maya’s offering. It’s not like I love schlepping to East Hampton twice a day, every day, to take Kelsey to and from school; I’ve complained about it plenty of times to Pete. My kitchen cabinets are way tidier now that she’s had her way with them. I’ve actually gotten some decent writing sone and might finally be on the right track with my manuscript. I’ve done two Peloton core workouts. And it’s good to have a break from cooking dinner. It should be, at least. I don’t really like cooking. Unlike Maya, who apparently just loves it.
ABOUT ‘ANYTHING FOR A FRIEND’: Writer Carrie Colts hopes a move to Montauk will be a rejuvenating change of pace for her family. The last thing she expects to see is her former college roommate on her doorstep. Newly widowed, and with a daughter of her own, Maya would love to reconnect. As a gesture to an old friend in mourning, Carrie extends an invitation to stay. Just for a few days. After all, there are reasons that Carrie and Maya are estranged.
Carrie soon regrets her impulsive offer. Someone has taken a pair of scissors to her college yearbook. Her herb garden is destroyed. Sheâs starting to receive sinister texts. And Maya is making herself a little too much at home. What does Maya really want? What is she hiding? Carrieâs afraid to ask. Because Maya knows all her secrets and exposing them comes with a price Carrie canât afford to pay.
MY THOUGHTS: Even though I didn’t much like Carrie, the main character in this novel, I just loved the story Kathleen Willett has built around her. Carrie is one of those people who sail through life impervious to the chaos and hurt that they cause. Selfish, arrogant, entitled she may be, but she is also a strangely good friend to Maya her college roommate. Maya is the white to Carrie’s black; she is conscientious, loyal, and thoughtful. She is also poor, at college on a full scholarship and has never had a friend prior to Carrie. She is enamored and Carrie’s safety net. Yet, after college, they drift apart . . .
Willett writes wonderfully believable characters. She imbues the atmosphere with a little innate creepiness that is as hard to pin down as it was to put this book down. I have read it in one sitting over a wet Saturday. Although I had some idea of where Willett was taking me, I enjoyed the journey.
The timelines switch between the present and Carrie and Maya’s college years. The tension increases incrementally as secrets in Carries past are revealed and the relationship between the two women becomes increasingly fraught.
Willett’s cat, Mr Sparkles, makes a cameo appearance.
A quick, exciting and fulfilling read.
ââââ.1
#AnythingforaFriend #NetGalley
THE AUTHOR: Kathleen M. Willett is an English teacher who grew up in New Jersey and London. She lives in Manhattan with her husband, two daughters, and a cat named Mr. Sparkles.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Lake Union Publishing via NetGalley for providing a digital ARC of Anything for a Friend my Kathleen M. Willett for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
Another almost perfect day for being at the beach. Unfortunately we aren’t there . . . we have, instead, been getting firewood all weekend – until Pete’s ute broke down at lunchtime today. Luckily it broke down at Dustin’s and not halfway in between there and home. To be quite honest I was almost glad it broke down. I was completely over picking up the wood, putting what needed to be split into one pile and what didn’t need splitting on the ute, then unloading and stacking it at home. I had stiffened up from doing the same yesterday, and it was hot . . . I swear I had nothing to do with the breakdown though. Luckily Dustin will be able to fix it during the week and we can finish off the job next weekend. At least we have cleared Dustin’s driveway so that he can get through again.
Currently I am reading The Girls from Sandycove by Sian O’Gorman, the first of the only two books I have to read for review in the coming week.
A mother and daughter adrift, a friend in need, and a village to really call homeâŚ
When Kate OâHare discovers sheâs about to become a mother, she packs up her life in France to return home to regroup and put down some roots. Home is where the heart is, right?
On her return to Ireland, Kate is surprised to find her best friend Floraâs marriage and self-esteem is in tatters following her husbandâs rather public betrayal. With no marriage, home, or future, can Kate empower Flora to rediscover herself and reignite the career she put on hold to marry the man she thought sheâd spend the rest of her life with?
On the other side of the Atlantic, Kateâs estranged mother, Lola, is heartbroken following the loss of her soulmate, Paulie. On hearing Kateâs plan, Lola too decides to return home to seek a second chance at motherhood with her daughter.
Will the music and magic of Sandycove be enough to carry these women through such challenging times and heal their hearts?
All of Us Are Broken by Fiona Cummins, which is a library book.
Itâs been a long time since the Hardwicke family has been on holiday. But thirteen-year-old Galen has wanted to see the wild dolphins at Scotlandâs Chanonry Point for as long as she can remember, and her mother Christine â a lone parent since her beloved husband left â is determined she gets her wish. But their serene trip is about to be interrupted.
When DC Saul Anguish is called to investigate the shooting of an ex-police officer in Midtown-on-Sea, Essex, he quickly discovers that this is the first in a string of killings by Missy and Fox, a damaged young couple hell-bent on infamy, their love story etched in blood. In pursuit, Saul follows their trail north.
The paths of the Hardwickes’ and the deadly couple are about to collide. When Saul and his forensic linguist partner, Blue, arrive on the scene, they witness the unthinkable: a mother forced to make an impossible choice.
Saul must uncover the truth about the couple. But can he find the strength to lay the ghosts of his past to rest before they break him?
And I am listening to Finding Claire Fletcher (Claire Fletcher #1) by Lisa Regan. This is a title from my 2017 NetGalley backlist. I can’t say I particularly like this cover.
With his career on thin ice and fresh ink on his divorce papers, Sacramento PD Detective Connor Parks goes searching for solace at the bottom of a bottleâand winds up in the arms of a beautiful woman. By morning she’s gone, and the one clue she left behind sends Connor on a desperate mission to unravel a decade-old mysteryâher abduction.
Presumed dead for the last ten years, Claire Fletcher has been living her life as “Lynn”, a woman in the terrifying grip of her captor. ‘After her unforgettable night with Connor, Claire clings to the hope that she’ll see him again, that he’ll follow her into the dark. But anyone who gets close to Claire has a way of turning up deadâŚand she’s unwittingly made Connor next on the list.
Before long, it becomes disturbingly clear: finding Claire Fletcher isn’t just going to be dangerousâit could be deadly.
So, other than The Girls from Sandycove, I have only one other book to read for review this week – The Last Stars in the sky by Kate Hewitt. This book is variously described as ‘gripping’ and ‘heart-breaking.’
âMom, why are you so mad at Dad?â
âIâm not,â I say, which isnât exactly true. Putting on a brave face for my two young daughtersâpretending everything is fine in my marriageâhas been hard. That, and losing the house after Daniel lied to me.
I never expected to have to uproot my family to go live in my parentsâ isolated cottage on Lost Lake. Itâs twenty miles to the nearest town, an insignificant speck in endless pine forests. Nobodyâs lived here for a decade.
Now, I pick up a rusty pail from its nest of autumn leaves and turn to my daughter. Suddenly, I recall how I used to help my own mother pick wild strawberries up here as a little girl. Maybe, this isnât a punishment. Maybe this place will be the making of our family.
Iâm still thinking it when my daughter rests her silky head on my shoulder that evening in the flickering firelight. And when, over a steaming cup of coffee at dawn, I watch a single loon cut a course through the mirrored surface of Lost Lake.
Later, Iâll hold on to these memoriesâghostly shreds of another life. Because just eight hours after I sat on that sofa, feeling so hopeful, the world as I knew itâas anyone knew itâwas gone for good.
Hopefully I will also be able to read One Year After You by Shari Low, which I should have read in the first week of January and never quite got to. That will catch me up to date with my scheduled reads for January 2024.
Four shocking secrets. One tumultuous tale of love, loss and second chances.
One year ago today, Tress Walkerâs husband was killed in a car accident, on a trip with his secret mistress whilst Tress gave birth to their son. But as time moves on, Tress has to choose whether to protect her fragile heart or open it to love again.
Noah Clark was equally devastated to discover his wife and his best friend were having an affair. Now the love of his life is asking for a second chance. But can there ever be a way back once the trust is broken?
For forty years, the fabulous Odette Devine has been a beloved actress on a Scottish TV show. Today she is broken, betrayed, and desperate to find out if this is her payback for a lie she told four decades ago.
Noahâs sister Keli Clark has recently been ghosted by the man she loves. When a message from a complete stranger reveals the reason why, Keli will have to decide whether to forgive, forget, or make sure he pays.
Aquarobics starts again this coming week. It will be great to get back into it. You might remember when I started aquarobics almost two years ago I had been going to be a casual swimmer. But while my mind was willing, my body just couldn’t co-ordinate and I floundered and sunk. That’s how I started aquarobics. And they work. I can now swim 4 lengths easily. My cousin and I have been going to the pool exercising a couple of times a week in lieu of aquarobics over the Christmas break, and I surprised myself when I tried to swim and succeeded.
Now I am off in search of ice cream and somewhere cool to sit and read.
To all of you who live in the regions of the US and Canada affected by the polar weather conditions, stay safe and warm.
EXCERPT: PROLOGUE – Monday 19 December I wake with a start, my heart racing. There’s a second or two of confusion as the morning light creeps through the slats of my blind. Then I hear it. Banging. Male voices, shouting. ‘Open up. Police!’ For a second or two I am so heavy with sleep and fear that I can’t move a muscle. My stomach tugs and my mind whirls. They’ve come for me. They’ve finally come for me.
ABOUT ‘THE WOMAN ON THE LEDGE’: A woman falls to her death from a London bank’s twenty-fifth-floor roof terrace.
You’re arrested for her murder.
You tell the police that you only met the victim the previous night at your office party. She was threatening to jump from the roof, but you talked her down.
You’ve got nothing to do with this tragedy. You’re clearly being framed.
So why do the police keep picking holes in your story? And why doesn’t your lawyer seem to believe you?
It soon becomes obvious that you’re keeping secrets.
But who are you trying to protect? And why?
MY THOUGHTS: The Woman on the Ledge is a very clever book. It’s a bit like an onion, with layers of lies, misdirection, deceit, secrets and manipulation. Whatever you think Tate may be up to, you’re more than likely wrong.
Think of it as a jigsaw puzzle with no picture to work from and Tate doling out the pieces she wants you to work with, which probably don’t connect to any of the pieces you currently have in place. Tate contradicts herself, changes her story when challenged. She perplexed me. Confused and confounded me, until almost the very last page.
This is a story with plenty of twists and turns. Unfortunately there is also a bit of repetition as Tate adds to or subtracts from her original story, or we see the same event from the point of view of a different character – or two.
The Woman on the Ledge is a wild roller-coaster ride, with terrifying drops and turns that you just don’t see coming. It’s best just to go along for the ride . . . you won’t regret it.
ââââ.4
#TheWomanontheLedge #NetGalley
THE AUTHOR: Ruth Mancini was born in south-west London and started her career as a marketing executive for a publisher before undertaking a post-graduate diploma in law and retraining as a solicitor. Ruth has spent the past twenty-five years in and out of courts and police stations, representing those accused of crimes. She still practises as a lawyer for a large criminal law firm with offices in London, conducting advocacy in the courts and defending people arrested at the police station. She also reviews trial files across the firm and juggles her legal work with writing crime and psychological fiction.
Ruth lives in Oxfordshire with her husband and two children.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Random House UK, Cornerstone, Century via NetGalley for providing a digital ARC of The Woman on the Ledge by Ruth Mancini for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
EXCERPT: By the time she reached the house, every step required effort. The mountain loomed in the distance, blurred by low, dark cloud. An ominous hulk pressing down on the city, squeezing any joy from the streets. Her home, at least, looked welcoming. The windows of the ground floor shining a soft gold against the dead grey of the day, promising warmth and comfort. Inside a bath and a hot meal awaited. A glass of wine. Or the whole bottle. She stepped through the gate, stopping as she reached the front door, preparing herself to enter. She was filled with weariness at the thought of listening to Emerson’s prattle or pretending everything was okay under Josephine’s perceptive gaze. She didn’t want to be with these people – these strangers. She wanted to be alone, wanted to give into the weight of her fears, to cry and wallow, and drown her misery in a steady procession of strong drinks. Conversation was beyond her and she didn’t have the strength to be anything other than miserable. She wanted her home to herself goddammit. Not filled with these women who, let’s face it, could be complicit in the damage being inflicted on her. It was a scenario she couldn’t rule out. She fumbled through her bag for her key, remembering after a minute that the house key lived with her car keys. Which were with the mechanic. For fuck’s sake, she couldn’t even get into her own home.
ABOUT ‘A SHADOW AT THE DOOR’: After a brutal attack and the breakdown of her marriage, life has taught former TV star Remi Lucan that it’s safer to not rely on anyone. Instead, she’s buried herself in Hobart, transforming her dilapidated sandstone house back to its former splendour, and it has been her proudest achievement. Better than her short-lived acting career. Definitely better than being a smile-on-command trophy wife. But when she runs out of money, her wealthy ex-husband tries to force the sale of the property and Remi realises her only option is to lower her defences and take in tenants. At first her biggest problem is adjusting to the intrusion of two unlikely housemates, but when a series of ‘accidents’ turns ugly, it becomes clear these incidents are more than pranks. Someone is out to get Remi, and they won’t stop until they destroy her…
MY THOUGHTS: An absorbing tale of friendship, obsession and revenge.
A Shadow at the Door is a slow-burner character driven psychological thriller. Dixon has written wonderful characters from the overly burdened Remi and her concerned and caring (or are they?) housemates to Remi’s greedy and conniving ex-husband Simon and his second wife, influencer Kayla, to Remi’s oldest friend Luke, the man who is always there for her.
Dixon has created a deliciously uncomfortable atmosphere, combining the harshness of the Tasmanian winter with the despair Remi feels as one thing after another goes wrong in her life; events that she comes to realise are not random pieces of bad luck but a carefully organised campaign against her. She doesn’t know who she can trust. I didn’t know who she could trust!
A Shadow at the Door is a quietly tense read that had all my senses on alert. There is a little repetition on occasion when we are shown events from the viewpoints of multiple characters but, on the whole, this was an absorbing and tense read.
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#AShadowattheDoor #NetGalley
THE AUTHOR: Jo writes stories full of imperfect characters dealing with unsettling situations, and making fatal mistakes. There is intrigue and mystery, the moodiness and underlying threat of the wild environment, and provocative twists and turns.
Jo lives in rural Tasmania, where she wrangles an ever-growing collection of animals, and is attempting to transform blackberry-infested paddocks into beautiful gardens. She’s learned to be somewhat useful at lambing, to plant trees, and to grow raspberries and rhubarb. She can also (sometimes) recall the botanical names of perennials and know which ones the wallabies will devour and which ones they ignore.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Harlequin Australia, HQ & MIRA, via NetGalley for providing a digital ARC of The Shadow at the Door by Jo Dixon for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
EXCERPT: A Current Affair transcript (August 15, 1988) MAURY POVICH: Edgewood, Maryland. A small, peaceful working-class town nestled on the shores of Chesapeake Bay. Little League baseball parades and Fourth of July carnivals. The kind of place where people don’t bother to lock their doors at night. [in a deeper voice] Edgewood, Maryland . . . a close-knit community now held hostage in a death grip of terror and paranoia. Three young girls. Savagely beaten and murdered. The killer has been christened the “Boogeyman” because of his ability to strike close to home and vanish without a trace. As one frustrated lawman lamented soon after the discovery of the latest victim: ‘It’s like the guy sliced open a hole in the night and disappeared back into it.’
ABOUT ‘BECOMING THE BOGEYMAN’: Back in the summer of 1988, a young Richard Chizmar was catapulted into the centre of a living nightmare as the serial killer Joshua Gallagher – dubbed by the media as ‘The Boogeyman’ – stalked his tranquil Maryland town.
These days, Chizmar enjoys a certain level of notoriety himself as he is the only person to whom Josh Gallagher will talk, on or off the record. Chizmar likes to visit Gallagher in prison, as there are plenty of other nameless victims out there and Gallagher’s confession would bring closure to grieving loved ones.
But when a masked figure leaves a horrifying calling card in the front of his home, Chizmar finds there is a price for dancing with the devil. It’s clear that there is a new player controlled by the Boogeyman.
MY THOUGHTS: I have to say that when I began this book, I didn’t like it. I really didn’t like it. I didn’t like the writing style; I didn’t like the format – it reads like a true crime book and is accompanied by photos of the victims, the kill sites and various other pertinent people and places. But somewhere around the 20% mark, I became hooked and read the remainder of the book voraciously. By the time I got to the end, I was convinced that this was a true crime book and it was only the author’s notes at the end which convinced me otherwise.
The author weaves a lot of his own life into the fabric of Becoming the Boogeyman which only strengthens the feeling that this isn’t a work of fiction. I kept wondering where the truth ended and the fiction began, if it did at all – the lines are very blurred.
Richard Chizmar is a very clever writer making use of social media, interviews, book reviews, and message boards to add authenticity to his story. It works – almost too well! The only thing I found lacking was the ‘creep’ factor – it just didn’t come across for me. But there is plenty of tension to carry the read.
One thing, Mr Chizmar – you refer to a joke about a horny nun and an alligator. I wish you’d shared it.
I haven’t read the author’s previous novel, Chasing the Boogeyman, but I didn’t find that held me back at all. That’s not to say, of course, that I’m not going to go back and read it because I probably will. I will also be standing in line for the next in the series. I am seriously impressed!
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#BecomingtheBoogeyman #NetGalley
THE AUTHOR: Besides writing, Richard Chizmar also edits anthologies, produces films, writes screenplays, and teaches writing.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Hodder & Stoughton via NetGalley for providing a digital ARC of Becoming the Boogeyman by Richard Chizmar for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
Definitely not a day for reading on the beach today either, though Wednesday was, and I did.
Currently I am reading After Eleanor: Reflections on Life, Death and Love by Alison Haynes. I honestly don’t know where I picked this up but it does have a beautiful cover so I may have simply fallen in love with the cover. It is brand new – the spine has never been cracked. This is a touching and thought provoking read.
Immersed in this sensitive memoir, we travel with Alison Haynes from her family home in Australia to her mother’s village in rural England. Organising the funeral, and sorting out her mother’s personal and household possessions, Alison begins to see her mother’s life from fresh perspectives.
I have loaded an audiobook ready to go – Dead Gone by T.J. Brearton. This is a title from my 2017 backlist.
A womanâs body is found floating in a sultry Florida mangrove. She has no ID and there is no indication of cause of death.
Who is she? Why was she murdered?
Rookie detective Tom Lange couldnât have got a more difficult first case. The only thing heâs got to go on is the womanâs butterfly tattoo. His boss, Lauren Blythe, piles the pressure on and the medical examiner wonât tell him what he needs to know.
Meanwhile Tomâs neighbour Alicia has an abusive boyfriend who Tom clashes with in a way that will have far-reaching consequences.
The body leads Tom on a trail of seedy clubs, narcotics, and danger which is close to home.
In a tumultuous ending with a massive twist, Tomâs world is turned upside down.
I have seven books to read for review in the coming week. So much for not overloading myself and only having 2 or 3 reads for review per week in 2024 . . .
The Lawson Legacy by Janet Gover will be my first read of 2024. It is also a title I have selected for my January Aussie Readers Challenge.
Kayla Lawson believes nothing is good unless it’s perfect. This search for perfection has made her a successful high-end wedding planner. But all that comes crashing down when Kayla discovers she’s pregnant. She retreats to the sanctuary of Willowbrook Stud to consider this imperfect future as a single mother.
Connor Knight has never known perfection. A kid from the wrong side of the tracks and a motorcycle gang member, he’s no stranger to trouble with the law. But he’s trying to leave that past behind. By giving a run-down pub in Scone a new lease on life, he’s hoping to rebuild his own.
At Willowbrook, Kayla is reunited with her childhood best friend. Jen and her two kids have come to stay while her husband is awaiting trial for a crime he didn’t commit. While struggling to decide her future, Kayla is suddenly exposed to what motherhood really looks like.
When she meets Connor there’s instant chemistry between them that can’t be denied. But with her plans in tatters around her, is there any way to make the pieces fit? Or are the obstacles in front of them insurmountable?
The Blue Gum Camp by Leonie Kelsall is another title I have selected for my Aussie Readers January challenge. I needed a bookcover showing the Australian bush.
When the very sensible Charity meets the ‘sworn-off-women-forever’ Lachlan on a wild weekend at a bachelor and spinsters’ ball, what could possibly go wrongâŚ.or is there a chance it could all go impossibly, incredibly right?
Charity Farrugia is too sensible to believe she’ll find love in a paddock.
After all, at thirty-four, she’s the responsible one with the secure career and the mortgage. The one who raised her two sisters when their mother got sick. The cautious one with strong reservations about Faith and Hope spending a weekend in the country at a Bachelors and Spinsters Ball.
Lachlan MacKenzie might be divorced, but his cheating ex isn’t why he avoids datingâonly his brother Hamish knows that secret. But keeping an eye out for Hamish has become part of Lachlan’s life, so he reluctantly permits himself to be dragged to the local B&S.
Charity has no intention of allowing her chaperone duties to be side-tracked. But meeting the intriguing farmerâwho seems as reluctant as her to be at the B&Sâmight be an opportunity to prove to her sisters that she does have a wild side after all.
But will she discover that what happens in the country sometimes refuses to stay in the country?
A Shadow at the Door by Jo Dixon is another selection for my January Aussie Readers Challenge.
After a brutal attack and the breakdown of her marriage, life has taught former TV star Remi Lucan that it’s safer to not rely on anyone. Instead, she’s buried herself in Hobart, transforming her dilapidated sandstone house back to its former splendour, and it has been her proudest achievement. Better than her short-lived acting career. Definitely better than being a smile-on-command trophy wife. But when she runs out of money, her wealthy ex-husband tries to force the sale of the property and Remi realises her only option is to lower her defences and take in tenants.
At first her biggest problem is adjusting to the intrusion of two unlikely housemates, but when a series of ‘accidents’ turns ugly, it becomes clear these incidents are more than pranks. Someone is out to get Remi, and they won’t stop until they destroy her…
Holmes, Margaret and Poe byâJames Patterson and Brian Sitts is one I am really looking forward to.
Brendan Holmes, Margaret Marple and Auguste Poe run the most in-demand private investigation agency in New York City.
The three detectives make a formidable team, solving a series of seemingly impossible crimes which expose the dark underbelly of the city – from a priceless art theft, high-stakes kidnapping and a decades-old unsolved murder, to a gruesome subterranean prison and corruption and bribery at the highest levels of power.
But it’s not long before their headline-grabbing breakthroughs, unconventional methods – and untraceable pasts – attract the attention of the NYPD and the FBI.
After all, it’s no surprise that there’s a mystery or two to unravel in the city that never sleeps . . . not least, who really are Holmes, Margaret and Poe?
I always enjoy Margot Hunt’s books and was excited to be approved for The Guests.
When a Category 5 hurricane is poised to hit their coastal Florida town, the Davies family takes refuge in their waterfront manse. Marlowe, Lee, and their teenage twins invite their close friends to wait out the storm in comfort and style.
Uninvited are the three strangers who dock on the familyâs shore right before the storm descends. Brothers Jason and Boâand Boâs girlfriend, Darcyâare a charming, helpful trio in need of a safe haven that the family is only too happy to provide.
But as the storm outside grows more threatening, so does the tension in the house.
Soon, the lines between family, friends, and strangers blur. Danger mounts with every pointed finger and broken confidence, and long-held secrets are revealed one after another until only one truth remains: not everyone is going to make it out alive.
Ruth Mancini is a new author to me. I have read many great reviews of The Woman on the Ledge so simply had to see what all the fuss is about for myself.
A woman falls to her death from a London bank’s twenty-fifth-floor roof terrace.
You’re arrested for her murder.
You tell the police that you only met the victim the previous night at your office party. She was threatening to jump from the roof, but you talked her down.
You’ve got nothing to do with this tragedy. You’re clearly being framed.
So why do the police keep picking holes in your story? Even your lawyer doesn’t seem to believe you.
It soon becomes obvious that you’re keeping secrets.
But who are you trying to protect? And why?
One Year After You by Shari Lowe is the follow up to One Day With You, which I loved.
Four shocking secrets. One tumultuous tale of love, loss and second chances.
One year ago today, Tress Walkerâs husband was killed in a car accident, on a trip with his secret mistress whilst Tress gave birth to their son. But as time moves on, Tress has to choose whether to protect her fragile heart or open it to love again.
Noah Clark was equally devastated to discover his wife and his best friend were having an affair. Now the love of his life is asking for a second chance. But can there ever be a way back once the trust is broken?
For forty years, the fabulous Odette Devine has been a beloved actress on a Scottish TV show. Today she is broken, betrayed, and desperate to find out if this is her payback for a lie she told four decades ago.
Noahâs sister Keli Clark has recently been ghosted by the man she loves. When a message from a complete stranger reveals the reason why, Keli will have to decide whether to forgive, forget, or make sure he pays.
I am doubtful I will get through all these this week, but I will give it my best shot. Are any of these on your reading radar?
I made my selections this morning for the Aussie Readers January Challenge. Sarah Barrie is the featured author this month, and a book by her is the only one I still have to decide on. I have read and enjoyed several books by this author but want to pick one that I haven’t yet read which will mean a trip to the library on Wednesday when it reopens.
We took Will back to the airport yesterday and he flew back to Australia. The house seems very quiet without him. He is coming back for Easter.
Will and Pete managed to fix the leak in my washing machine by adapting a hose they bought at the local hardware store.
We all went to the beach on Wednesday. Pete and Will went fishing and caught one snapper which we gave to Dustin to take home for Luke’s dinner, plus there will be plenty left over to freeze for more dinners. Luke and I played in the surf while Dustin and Will body surfed. Pete took Will for a drive around the area and Dustin, Luke and I walked along the beach to an icy freshwater waterfall. A lovely walk but I stupidly didn’t take my shirt and am a little burnt on my back. After that we all met up at the local pub for a late lunch before we headed home. It was a beautiful day out and we all had lots of fun. I will remember it for a long time.
It is New Year’s Eve here today. We aren’t planning on anything special to see the New Year in. In all truth, we’ll probably sleep it in! However you celebrate, have a happy and safe New Year.
Well, I’m still not laying on the beach reading, and if I was today, I would be covered in goosebumps!
Currently I am reading/listening to The Year of Goodbyes and Hellos by Kelly Irvin.
Two sisters seek a new balance in work, family, and love when one receives a diagnosis that sets the clock ticking.
Determined to save Sherriâs life, Kristen drops everything to guide her sister on the harrowing cancer treatment journey. When sheâs unable to balance the strain of caring for her patients, being a wife and mother, and her frantic efforts to save her sister, Kristenâs carefully balanced life crumbles, starting with her marriage. Desperate to regain her footing, she vows to rebuild her broken relationships . . . as soon as sheâs sure Sherri will beat the odds stacked against her.
Unlike her sister, Sherri Reynolds has worked to cultivate balance in her life. Her children, her job as a teacher, and her strong faith keep her groundedâuntil her diagnosis sends her spiraling into the scary world of what-ifs and unknown outcomes. Sherri faces the agonizing realization that family history may be about to repeat itself. With the clock ticking, sheâs determined to use whatever time she has left to heal old wounds and restore relationships.
His Favorite Graves by Paul Cleaves, a New Zealand author. I don’t know what he has against janitors, but there must be something . . .
Desperate for reward money â and to rescue his marriage â an embattled sheriff takes incalculable risks to find a missing boy. An edge-of-your-seat, twisted and twisty thriller from New Zealand’s King of Crime.
Acacia Pines, USA. Sheriff Logan’s life is falling apart â his father accidently burned down the retirement home, his wife has moved out, and his son is bullying other kids at school.
When high-school student, Ben Connor, is abducted, Logan sees a chance to get his life back on track â to win back his wife and scoop the reward money offered for Ben’s safe return.
But as the body count rises, it becomes clear that Logan’s going to have to make the kind of decision from which there’s no coming back ⌠a decision with deadly consequencesâŚ
And Maternal Instinct by Becky Masterman.
Don’t let them know what you’re thinking, Althea Deming tells herself. It’s your best defense. Althea didn’t want her good natured but thoughtless step-son Hal and manipulative daughter-in-law Grace to move in with her, relegating her to a corner of the house that was once just hers, but she doesn’t have much choice. She’s been powerless since her beloved husband Robert’s death. According to the will, everything that was hers now belongs to Hal – and to Grace.
Grace Deming didn’t want to uproot her family to care for her difficult mother-in-law, but she’s determined to make the best of it for the sake of her daughter Shyla’s future. Their new home is enormous, the neighborhood prestigious. If the worst of it is that Althea dislikes her, she can cope.
After all, Althea Deming is a sweetheart. Everyone says so. Her husband. The neighbors. And soon, so does Shyla, the once vibrant and happy child now a shadow of her former self. What’s wrong with Grace that she can’t trust her? But all her instincts are screaming at her that Althea is dangerous, and if she doesn’t fight to protect her family from her malign influence, she’ll live to regret it . . .
Once I have finished these reads, I will have completed all of last week’s ‘read for review’ list, plus the Paul Cleave which is a library book. This coming week I have only three ‘read for review’ titles which is just as well as I have a busy week lined up. My reads for review this week are:
On the Way to Us by Carolyn Brown
Mercy Spenser promised her friend and roommate she’d spend her vacation in west Texas for a charitable missionâshe didn’t agree to the oppressive heat, massive spiders, or the rowdy cantina next door drowning out her gospel singing. She’s not the type to sit idly by, so when she clashes with the sexy-as-hell man who runs the place, her temper is hot enough to nearly burn down the entire town.
Despite refusing to turn down his jukebox and inviting Miss Mercy to leave his cantina alone, Hunter Wilson can’t get that gospel singer with the ice-blue eyes out of his mind. Finding her again in their tiny town isn’t the problem. Convincing her that he’s interestedâwell, that’s another story. But if Mercy will give Hunter one more chance to show his true feelings, they just might find the love of a lifetime.
Secrets in the Blood by Gwyn Bennett. This title was recommended to me by a Goodreads friend, Ceecee.
A beautiful island scarred by the defences from centuries of war.
Secrets hidden in the blood of generations.
A past that refuses to stay buried.
Detective Winter Labey is called to a historic German bunker abandoned after the occupation of the island of Jersey, where tourists have discovered the concealed body of a prominent local figure. Was the execution-style murder connected to the Nazi graffiti daubed on the walls of his tomb?
Winter calls on forensic psychologist Saskia Monet, whose own childhood gives her a unique understanding of the darkest recesses of the human mind.
As Saskia and Winter delve into the case, they unravel a web of secrets the victim had desperately tried to keep hidden from his family. Secrets that, once exposed, could shatter the lives of those closest to him.
Just as they make a major breakthrough, thereâs another murder in chillingly similar circumstances. Except now, itâs one of their suspects. Time is quickly running out to catch the killer before they strike againâŚ
All three of these titles are titles I have nominated for either the seasonal (summer) or December Aussie Readers’ Challenge. I am on track with my seasonal challenge but have yet to start the December challenge. đŹ
To all my friends in Queensland, Australia, in the path of Cyclone Jasper, please stay safe.
We have our book club Christmas lunch Tuesday. I drew the ‘something sweet’ for after lunch coffee and am making date balls. Monday I am working, and probably again on Wednesday. I am now going to miss our aquarobics farewell for our tutor as that has been moved from Thursday to Tuesday to accommodate the closing of the pool for a deep clean and repaint.
On Friday I went out in the truck with Pete. He started at 3am, but I got to sleep in as I wasn’t going until the 2nd load so that I got to enjoy the scenery in the daylight. I really love going out in the truck with him and seeing bits of my country that I haven’t seen before. I got home again at lunch time, just in time to have another shower and head out to meet a friend who was passing through for lunch. After Tasha had headed on her way, I walked to work and spent a couple of hours with Liss in the office. She has had a bad month with a water pipe bursting under the dining room floor and causing major damage, and then a break in causing even more damage. Thanks to the new CCTV system we installed recently, the perpetrators were easily identifiable and have been caught. Unfortunately, five of the six were ‘children’ in the eyes of the law and will merely be slapped with a wet lettuce leaf. No mind that they had stolen two vehicles, one a 4WD to rip off the security bars in the loading dock, and that their fingerprints were all over everything. Only the ‘adult’ with them had the nous to wear gloves. đ
We are having a very enjoyable and quiet weekend, only weeding gardens (don’t the weeds grow fast!) and mowing lawns. I have been working on Luke’s bookmark and have only the black cats and the bats left to cross-stitch. I still need to get out and trim all the edges but the weather forecast for the coming week is no rain (after today) but cloudy so there is no great hurry with that. The painter will be here all week so I will be spending as little time inside as possible to avoid getting the plaster dust in my lungs, so when I am reading it will be outside, or I will be busy doing the final tidy up in the gardens. Pete has taken two ute loads of garden waste away this weekend; one yesterday and one today.
Whatever you are doing, enjoy the remainder of your weekend and stay safe. đđ
Sandy's Book a Day Blog 